The Heroes of Olympus, #3
The Mark of Athena
by Rick Riordan
Contents
XXXII
Overview
Percy and Annabeth navigate Rome to the Tiber, sharing doubts and resolve before Annabeth’s solo quest. The river god Tiberinus and Rhea Silvia arrive, validate Annabeth’s documents, and confirm she must follow the Mark of Athena alone. They warn Percy to hurry to rescue Nico, forcing a painful separation with high stakes.
Summary
Percy and Annabeth trek through Rome toward the Colosseum and the Tiber, noticing unfriendly supernatural onlookers but avoiding conflict. They struggle with directions and money until Annabeth produces an emergency credit card from Daedalus’s laptop. Over lunch by the river, they discuss the burden of the quest and Percy’s fear of losing Annabeth again.
A vintage Vespa arrives carrying a stylish couple who reveal themselves as Tiberinus, god of the Tiber, and his wife Rhea Silvia. Annabeth presents her bronze disk and letter, which Tiberinus recognizes as proper credentials for the Athena quest, though he notes past attempts ended in death.
Rhea Silvia explains that Percy must return to the Argo II to gather the others and confront the giants, and that Piper’s knife will show the way. Tiberinus insists Annabeth must face the shrine’s guardian alone. He warns Percy he has less time than he thinks to rescue his “friend in the jar,” pressing the urgency of saving Nico.
Percy wants to accompany Annabeth, but he recognizes that arguing would undermine her resolve. Accepting the necessity and danger, they share a brief goodbye. Annabeth climbs onto the Vespa with Tiberinus and Rhea Silvia to be shown only the start of her path, leaving Percy to return to his own urgent mission.
Who Appears
- Percy JacksonNarrator; escorts Annabeth to the Tiber, grapples with fear of losing her, urged to hurry to save Nico.
- Annabeth ChaseDetermined to follow the Mark of Athena alone; presents credentials to Tiberinus and departs to begin her quest.
- TiberinusGod of the Tiber; verifies Annabeth’s documents, explains her solo path, and warns Percy about Nico’s urgency.
- Rhea SilviaTiberinus’s wife; encourages Annabeth, clarifies Percy’s separate mission, and escorts Annabeth to her quest’s starting point.
- WaiterServes lunch by the Tiber; highlights local customs, a brief mortal interlude before divine intervention.